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  • SAM Taps Whistler Blackcomb to Host 2025 Summer Ops Camp

    SAM Magazine—Whistler, British Columbia, March 18, 2025—SAM’s Summer Ops Camp will be held at Whistler Blackcomb, Sept. 2-4, 2025, offering three days of education, networking, and hands-on learning focused on the future of summer operations at mountain resorts. This year’s camp will also feature a partnership with the Canada West Ski Areas Association (CWSAA), bringing together a dynamic mix of resort professionals from across North America.   Whistler Blackcomb has been at the forefront of year-round recreation development, balancing business innovation with environmental sustainability. With a robust lineup of summer attractions—including the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Peak...

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Special Report: Backcountry Ed Can Save Lives

SAM Magazine—Natick, Mass., Feb. 19, 2021—As of Feb. 19, 28 Americans have died in backcountry avalanches this winter, five more than the entire 2019-20 season, according to avalanche.org. Experts say the primary culprit for the uptick is the unstable snowpack in the Rockies, which they call the most hazardous it’s been in a decade.  ...

TGR, Indy Pass Film to Highlight Independent Resorts

SAM Magazine—Jackson, Wyo., Feb. 18, 2021—Teton Gravity Research (TGR) and the Indy Pass will explore the spirit of independent ski and snowboard areas around North America in a film and video project titled “In Pursuit of Soul.” The project will produce digital and social storytelling at 12 independent resorts throughout the winter season,...

More Snow, Less Covid-19 Deliver Uptick to Western Destinations

SAM Magazine—Winter Park, Colo., Feb. 18, 2021—January snow and a drop in both Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations combined to give a boost, albeit small, to business across the West, according to the monthly DestiMetrics Market Briefing from Inntopia. For the month, lodging occupancy was down 29.1 percent, average daily rate fell 12.3 percent,...

Italy Extends Resort Ban with Little Notice

SAM Magazine—Rome, Italy, Feb. 16, 2021—Many of Italy’s ski resorts were ramping up to open this week, some starting Monday, Feb. 15, when the government’s ban on recreational skiing at resorts was set to expire—making snow, grooming, preparing facilities, staffing up, etc. However, resorts were informed at 7 p.m. on Sunday that health mi...

Showdown Montana Gets Next-Gen Owner

SAM Magazine—Neihart, Mont., Feb. 10, 2021—George Willett has sold Showdown Montana to his daughter, Katie Boedecker, after nearly 48 years of running the resort.Katie Boedecker and George Willett Boedecker, who grew up at Showdown, has worked many positions at the ski area, including general manager for the last three years. She joins a very ...

NSAA Makes the Most of 2021 Virtual Winter Conference

SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., Feb. 10, 2021—The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) 2021 winter conference and trade show was held virtually, Feb. 1-5. Attendees participated in educational sessions, networking events, and trade show hours from wherever they happened to be. The event was, of course, different than the traditional winter gathe...

COVID Insights: Declining Cases

The latest virus tracking reports from Insights Collective are showing light at the end of the tunnel, with new cases and hospitalizations declining.  Only Oregon, Puerto Rico, Arkansas and Vermont saw an increase in cases. We are cautiously optimistic. View the recent virus tracking report. ...

Ontario Resorts Prepare to Reopen

SAM Magazine—Collingwood, Ont., Feb. 9, 2021—The province of Ontario will allow ski resorts to gradually start reopening to the public soon, following a six-week (or longer) closure.Calabogie Peaks On Monday, the province lifted the Emergency Declaration that forced resorts to close beginning on Dec. 26, 2020, just before the key Christmas hol...

Cross Country Ski Area Survey Shows Increased Participation

Cross-country ski areas across Canada and the US were surveyed the second week of January with some promising results reported. Some of the key findings: Revenues were higher than had been projected, healthy season pass sales for more than half of the respondents (some with 20% or greater growth) and day pass sales have increased for more than...

Sugarbush Installs New Solar Array

SAM Magazine—Warren, Vt., Feb. 5, 2021—Sugarbush Resort, in partnership with Green Lantern Solar, has installed a new solar array at Lincoln Peak. The array has a capacity of 133 kilowatts (kW), and will generate 190,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) over the course of a year. This is the latest installation funded by the two organizations, and the firs...

Boyne Resorts Moves to Renewable Electric Energy

SAM Magazine—Boyne Falls, Mich., Feb. 5, 2021—Boyne Resorts has made a renewable energy purchase commitment with CMS Enterprises, a CMS Energy subsidiary, that offsets electric energy consumption at its resorts and facilities throughout North America as of Jan. 1, 2021.  The purchase is among numerous environmental initiatives and newly e...

Covid-19 Insurance Coverage and Liability Update

This report is excerpted from a longer report by Gfeller Laurie LLP. We thank Charles Gfeller for sharing it with SAM. SAM Magazine—West Hartford, Conn., Feb. 5, 2021—Many ski areas and ski industry vendors have been adversely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and associated shutdowns. In the business world generally, this has led to a wa...

SAM & NPD Name Lucky Winner of Tiki Chainsaw Challenge

Yesterday, viewers were entertained with bad lumberjack jokes and live tiki chainsaw-carving with North Pole Design's Senan Gorman and SAM publisher Olivia Rowan. The event was held during the Supplier Direct Connect as part of the virtual NSAA Winter Conference. Attendees could vote for a tiki design ahead of the event, and Gorman crafted the one ...

Covid Insights: Taking the Right Steps

As the U.S. and the world seek to escape the shadow of Covid-19, important steps are being taken on many fronts. Some of these may pose short-term challenges, but all are aimed at long-term recovery. Wonder why those $1,400 checks are so high on President Biden’s wish list? Curious to know how soon air travel might return to normal? Looking for o...

Indy Pass Adds Soldier Mountain and Pomerelle

SAM Magazine—Portland, Ore., Feb. 2, 2021—Soldier Mountain and Pomerelle Mountain Resort, Idaho, have joined the Indy Pass. Each resort will provide Indy Pass holders two days of access through the end of the 2020-21 season. The pass now includes access to 16 ski areas in the Pacific Northwest, and 61 North American ski areas in all.  Sol...